With a large sum of money in his pocket, Han Xiao felt confident enough to spend lavishly and purchased a batch of new parts from Farrian.
A day later, Han Xiao used his advanced skills to upgrade all his equipment and forge new blueprints and blueprint-book equipment.
Electromagnetic Hover Boots are shaped like metal boots with special devices installed in the heel and sole. These devices reduce ground friction through a special electromagnetic field, while a high-energy battery pack inside the boot provides power, allowing the rider to glide across various terrains like an ice skater at lightning speeds comparable to a car. The energy allows the skateboard to operate at maximum power for twenty minutes.
He painted the skateboard shoes in a stylish silver and black color, added a breathable mesh and sponge padding, and covered them with leather. They were very comfortable to wear and could be worn casually without needing to change into them for combat.
Soon, the Chaisrod Family came knocking on their door.
At the Vitalia Hotel, Ouvannuo sat in the VIP lounge, his hands on his knees, awaiting the arrival of his guests.
The door opened, Han Xiao walked in. Ouvannuo stood up, elegantly extended his hand, and said in a deep, magnetic voice, "Ouvannuo, I come from the Chaisrod Family. I have some things I'd like to discuss with you."
Han Xiao reached out and shook hands with him, noticing that Ouvannuo's thumb was pressed firmly against the web of his hand, a steady and powerful shake that wasn't too light or too heavy. This kind of handshake was usually a habitual gesture of those in positions of power, like a sense of territory, carrying a feeling of wanting to control the other person. Han Xiao was very familiar with this handshake posture; his grandfather shook hands with others in the same way. The principle was actually very simple, just like a lecherous man lightly scratching the back of a girl's hand when shaking hands. Different statuses, professions, and identities have different habits: subordinates asking their superiors for favors, men wanting to show off their manners in front of women, strangers being polite on their first meeting, two people in equally high positions engaging in subtle competition, and so on.
Ouvannuo's position was clearly not that of a simple envoy, Han Xiao had already guessed the purpose of the Chaisrod Family's visit.
After the two sat down, Ouvannuo said, "The Rose Armed Forces ' bounty has been posted for almost three years, and countless assassins have failed. Mr. Black, I'm quite surprised that you were able to complete it alone."
"You flatter me. It's just normal procedure, nothing to mention."
"You don't sound like you think it's 'not worth mentioning' at all," Ouvannuo thought to himself.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Han Xiao got straight to the point. "Our relationship is limited to employer and assassin. Once the mission is complete, we have no further connection. You've clearly not contacted me about the bounty."
"You guessed right, I've come to you to ask you a question." Ouvannuo, then suddenly leaned forward, a movement that gave him a sense of pressure. He stared intently at Han Xiao and asked in a deep voice, "In the Somar Desert, did you visit an abandoned base?"
While speaking, Ouvannuo kept a close eye on Han Xiao's expression and eyes. If Han Xiao hesitated even slightly, he would immediately know if he was lying. The family learned about the research project from the experimental logs of the abandoned base and attached great importance to it. If they could obtain the Feronia Serum, they might be able to research something extraordinary.
Unexpectedly, Han Xiao simply took out a vial of fluorescent yellow serum, placed it on the table, and said calmly, "Name your price."
Ouvannuo was stunned; he hadn't expected Han Xiao to agree so readily.
"This thing is useless to me. If you want it, just buy it with your money."
Ouvannuo glanced at the serum. He wasn't worried that Han Xiao was lying; anyone who dared to swindle money from the Chaisrod Family was already dead.
How much money are you willing to spend?
"It depends on your sincerity." Han Xiao chuckled, appearing inscrutable.
This attitude gave Ouvannuo a headache. He hoped that Han Xiao was unaware of the value of the Feronia Serum, but judging from Han Xiao's behavior, he seemed to know the truth. After hesitating for a long time, he quoted a price that showed sincerity but was not high enough.
One million.
Negotiations always start with a low price; Ouvannuo is prepared to bleed heavily. There's no question of murder or robbery; we're all civilized people.
Han Xiao stared at Ouvannuo for a long time before slowly saying, "At this price, you don't seem to be very sincere."
Ouvannuo is preparing his remarks for negotiations.
I agree.
"This vial of serum has been preserved for decades; it's unclear if it's still effective, so its value has been greatly reduced. I... wait, you agreed?!"
Ouvannuo looked astonished.
Han Xiao pushed the serum in front of Ouvannuo and chuckled, "Let's be friends."
Ouvannuo had initially thought he was going to suffer a huge loss, but Han Xiao's actions immediately won him favor.
Ouvannuo's expression turned serious. He put away the serum and said, "The payment will be transferred to your account soon, and you will also gain the friendship of Chasrod and myself."
[You have unlocked a new faction reputation!]
[The Chaisrod Family's favorability towards you has increased by 1800 points!]
[The Chaisrod Family: Friendly (1800/3000)]
Han Xiao smiled slightly. Giving up some money to regain the prestige of the Chaisrod Family was a worthwhile deal. Money could be earned again, but the opportunity to start a new faction was fleeting.
Some wealthy families and corporations have existed since the old days. After the baptism of war, some families perished, while others became more deeply rooted, with their influence extending throughout the military, political, and business circles of their respective countries. Chasseroth is one such family, offering plenty of opportunities for profit. For players, this is a support faction, allowing them to purchase some rare items and services.
Chysrod is an ally of the Dark Net Organization, and this move is equivalent to finding himself a hidden backer within the organization, which has many benefits.
Without the Gene Harmonization Agent, the Feronia Serum could no longer be effective, so he decided to sell it for other benefits and kept a vial of serum in his possession.
Another million has been deposited, bringing the total savings to six million. Just looking at the numbers doesn't give you a sense of it, but to give you an example, in version 1.0, a player was considered wealthy if they had more than 200,000 in savings at level 30. A million is an astronomical figure, and only the assets of large guilds can reach that amount.
With the transaction complete and the atmosphere much more amicable, Han Xiao asked, puzzled, "What is Feronya?"
He was puzzled as to why a single potion could attract the covetous eyes of various factions.
Ouvannuo was in a good mood and explained, "There was once a country in the Somar Desert that was caught up in Old Era War. They launched a large-scale research project called Feronya Project, named after a legend or myth from that country. The specific plan involved building many military bases and conducting research in more than a dozen different technological directions. The serum you obtained was one of those research projects."
Han Xiao suddenly realized, "So that's how it is. I thought there really were magical ruins."
Ouvannuo chuckled, "How could there be magic in the world? You're overthinking it."
Han Xiao could only chuckle, stroking his chin, thinking to himself, "There shouldn't be any magic on Planet Aquamarine, but what's with this premonition of raising this flag..."
This is a dark and deep underground cave, without any light source. It is unknown how deep underground it is. Fine sand occasionally falls from the cracks in the rocks.
A wind that shouldn't exist echoed in the cave, like breathing, faintly carrying a rumbling sound like muffled thunder.
Suddenly, six oval-shaped headlights lit up in the darkness, a golden glow, arranged in two vertical rows, symmetrical and neat. There were no reference points around, but by visual estimation, the diameter of each headlight was no less than ten meters.
The headlights flashed extremely quickly, as if blinking.
Eye.